The streaming audio platform Spotify is not interested in more of the Obamas, according to new reports.
Spotify signed former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama to a deal in 2019 which included podcasts and other ventures, but in recent months, word has emerged from sources, including Vanity Fair, that the partnership was plagued with differences.
The initial deal ends in October, but Spotify has declined to make an offer to extend the agreement, according to Bloomberg, which cited three sources it did not name.
Variety also reported, citing a source, that Spotify is not interested in extending its agreement with Higher Ground, the production company that cuts deals for the Obamas.
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SPOTIFY DROPS THE OBAMAS FROM PODCAST DEALNow where will people go to hear elitists with undeserved wealth complain daily as they divide Americans by skin color?
— NEWS (Before It’s Banned) (@LedgeSomewhere) April 21, 2022
Britain’s The Telegraph said the couple failed to impress executives at the streaming service.
As a result, the Obamas are now shopping other possible services for their content.
Amazon’s Audible and iHeartMedia Inc. are the names bandied about in potential deals worth multiple millions for the Obamas.
Spotify’s reluctance may stem from the fact that the Obamas do not want an exclusive deal because they want their content to be marketed everywhere.
But other reasons for this reluctance may be that the Obamas are hoping for a whole lot of cash for not very much actual content. Bloomberg reported that each would commit to eight episodes — far less than other shows.
Collapse of this deal really speaks to the sorry state of podcasting: Obamas mad that listeners give up shows when they go Spotify exclusive, Spotify mad that people only listen to shows the Obamas are actually in them https://t.co/nuC8ujbSlm
— Aaron Freedman (@freedaaron) April 21, 2022
That thread has run through the deal between Spotify and the Obamas. According to Bloomberg, “Spotify wanted more shows featuring two of the most famous people in the world, while Higher Ground hoped to use their deal to provide a platform for a range of voices.”
As the Los Angeles Times phrased it, “There were some creative tensions with Spotify over how prominent the Obamas would be in the podcasts, compared with other voices that are not as well-known.”
Spotify dropped the Obamas before they dropped Joe Rogan…
There is nothing in the world that could make that not funny.
— Jason (@JasonVorGEEZ) April 20, 2022
The Independent, citing a source it did not identify, said, “The Obama company’s pitches don’t line up with Spotify’s interest in having shows that are popular and reach a wide audience.”
Bloomberg said that amid all the ideas pitched by Higher Ground, Spotify only produced five ideas.
Two were successful: “The Michelle Obama Podcast” and “Renegades: Born in the USA,” a collection of conversations between the former president and Bruce Springsteen.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
